Tales of Two Lovers
by Kya Lorne
Summary: A series of Song-fics about Bulma and Vegeta. 3rd installment: Metallica's "Fuel." Vegeta's off in space to become a Super Saiyan. What will it take to bring him back to Bulma?
1. Big Machine

Disclaimer:  I do not own DBZ, nor do I own "Big Machine."  They belong to their respective owners.

A/N:  Hi!  This is my first song fic, as well as my first DBZ fic.  It is obviously to the tune of "Big Machine" by the Goo-Goo dolls.  I was inspired to write this after reading Yuna Leonhart's "Unforgiven."  If you have not read it, I highly suggest you do because it rocks.  Please R&R!

**Big Machine**

            The sun was dipping below the horizon, bathing Capsule Corp. in a deep crimson glow.  The scattered clouds in the sky were painted in hues of pink, purple and orange.  It was beautiful.  Bulma caught herself staring out the window of her lab, her eyes taking in the spectacular view.  Sighing heavily, she brushed a stray piece of blue hair from her face and turned her attention back to the task at hand.

            She had spent the last two weeks designing and building a new set of androids for Vegeta to spar with in the gravity room.  He destroyed all of the others she had made for him like they were nothing more than scrap metal.  As frustrated as it made her, Bulma was glad for the chance to push her scientific mind to the limit.

            _Not that he appreciates it, she thought to herself as she finished connecting the circuitry of the prototype.  Shutting the back of the android, she mumbled under her breath "Stupid monkey prince."_

**Ecstasy is all you need**

**Living in the big machine now**

**Oh, you're so vain**

            Bulma shut off the lights in her lab and stepped out into the cool evening air.  A few stars now dotted the deepening indigo sky.  She smiled up at them, wondering at the mysteries they held.  But that smile soon disappeared as thoughts of the androids invaded her mind.  Their arrival was now only a year away.  Shaking her head, she began walking towards the house, the familiar buzz of the gravity room invading her ears.

            Before she reached the door, a loud crash followed by an intense string of obscenities made Bulma practically jump out of her skin.  The sound of the machinery faded into obscurity.  _Not again…_

**Now your world is way too fast**

**Nothing's real and nothing lasts**

            Bulma rushed over to the gravity room in a frenzy.  As she approached, Vegeta emerged from within.  His spandex pants were shredded and a mixture of blood and sweat glistened on his bare chest, but he seemed otherwise okay.  Bulma breathed a sigh of relief to see that he was still standing.  That thought caused her to stop cold, casting her gaze to the ground.  _Why do I care if he's alright or not?  My life would be so much easier if that arrogant asshole blew himself up._

            She looked back up at Vegeta, who gave her a look of confusion for a split second before it was overtaken by a scowl.

            "Woman!  This piece of crap is broken again.  Fix it now!"

            Anger welled up in Bulma as she placed her hands on her hips, staring the Prince in the eye defiantly.  "You know, if you would quit breaking it, I would not need to fix it constantly."

            "If you were not so incompetent, it would not break all of the time!"

            This situation was all too familiar for Bulma.  They were always locked in a battle of wills, and neither was willing to budge an inch.  Throwing her arms up in the arm, she simply turned around and began to walk away without responding.  She was not in the mood for one of Vegeta's temper tantrums.  Unfortunately, this only succeeded in irritating him further.

            "You will fix it NOW, woman!!"

            "NO!  It's time for dinner, monkey boy," Bulma shouted back as she continued to walk away.  But Vegeta was determined to get his way.  He flew passed her and placed himself directly in her path.

            "Such insolence!  I have killed for less than this!"

            Bulma folded her arms across her chest.  "Then who would fix your precious gravity room?"

            At a loss for words, Vegeta simply growled at her and stormed off towards the house, flinging open the door and slamming it behind him so hard the whole place shook.  Bulma giggled in spite of herself, thinking about how cute he was when he was angry.  And as much of a stuck-up pain in the ass he was, he did have a few admirable qualities.  His dedication to his training was phenomenal.  He trained with an intensity few would ever possess.

            She shook her head as she reached the front door, pausing.  These feelings weren't anything new.  Lately she had noticed her thoughts drifting to Vegeta more and more, even though he mostly treated her like yesterday's trash.  There was a fire inside of him that Yamcha had always lacked.  She was drawn to it.

            "Oh, Bulma," she said aloud to herself, "You need to forget about him.  The only time he acknowledges your existence is when he's hungry or something needs to be fixed.  He's an asshole."  But in her head she added _A__ gorgeous hunk of an asshole._

**And I'm aware**

**I'm in love but you don't care**

            Bulma emerged from her bedroom later that evening in a pair of cotton pants and a tank top.  Fortunately her father had offered earlier to fix the gravity room for her since she had been working in the lab all day.  She was looking forward to a little rest and relaxation in front of the TV.

            All the lights were off in the living room.  Bulma gave a silent shrug and entered the room, making her way over to the lamp by the couch.  Turning it on, the room was filled with a soft glow.  When she pivoted around to take a seat on the couch, she jumped back and gave an ear-piercing shriek.  

            Vegeta had snuck up behind her and his sudden appearance had startled her.  His hands shot instinctively to his sensitive ears in an attempt to protect them from the high-pitched cry.

            "Dammit, woman!  Maybe you should scream louder next time.  I think a few people in the other world didn't hear you!"

            "Shut up, Vegeta.  It's your fault for sneaking up behind me like that."

            Vegeta glared at her with his cold onyx eyes.  "Why is that idiot father of your fixing my gravity room?"

            Bulma returned the gaze with an equal iciness.  "First of all, he is not an idiot.  And second, I've had a long day working on _your androids and I'm tired."_

            "I don't care."

            "Big surprise there."

            Bulma sat down on the couch and grabbed the remote.  She started flipping through the channels, looking for something interesting to watch.  Vegeta just stood there with his arms crossed, staring down at the blue-haired woman.  She became aware that he had not left and she looked up at him, irritated.

            "Now what?" she asked harshly.

            "When will my new training androids be finished?"

            Completely fed up at that point, Bulma stood up, shaking the remote at Vegeta menacingly.  "Have you heard a single word I said?  You're a selfish bastard, Vegeta.  One of these days I outta…"  She did not get a chance to finish that sentence.  Vegeta grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her roughly up against the wall, pinning her there.

            "Don't you EVER threaten the Saiyan Prince!" he screamed at her.  Bulma's eyes grew wide with fright.  Vegeta had never been physically violent with her before.  He held her tightly, looking straight into her eyes, and she into his.  Neither of them moved.  They just stood there, staring.  Then suddenly, something changed.

**Turn your anger into lust**

**I'm still here but you don't trust at all**

**And I'll be waiting**

            Vegeta's grip began to loosen and a strange look came over his face.  He continued to look her in the eye, but his were no longer filled with anger and hate.  His arms dropped to his sides as he backed away from Bulma as she watched him, breathless.  But as quickly as his guard had come down, it was back again.  He spun around and fled the room.

            When she heard the front door open and shut, Bulma slid down the wall into a sitting position, holding her knees close to her chest.  So many thoughts crashed like waves over her as she tried to figure out what in Kami's name had just transpired.  What she had seen in his eyes; a glimpse of what lay hidden behind the cold steel exterior.

            _It couldn't have been, could it? she thought.  But there was no denying it.  Bulma knew what she saw.  In that one moment she saw into Vegeta's heart, and witnessed the longing contained within it.  __I can't leave it like this…_

**Love and sex and loneliness**

**Take what's yours and leave the rest**

**So I'll survive**

**Man it's good to be alive**

            With lightening quick speed Bulma raced out the front door after Vegeta.  She did not even bother to put on shoes in her rush.  Across the lawn she tore, running towards the gravity room which had already been turned on.  _Dad must have finished fixing it._

            When she reached the door, Bulma pounded violently on it.  "Vegeta!" she cried, collapsing to the ground from the effort and taking in harsh, shallow breaths.  But it was not in vain.  She stared up at the doorway as she heard the gravity room power down and the door fly open, revealing an alarmed Vegeta.

            "What is going on, woman?" he asked as he scanned around for what he had assumed was a threat.  But sensing no powerful ki nearby, he stared down at the woman at his feet, confused.

**I'm torn in pieces**

**I'm lying here waiting for-**

**My heart is reeling**

**I'm blind and waiting for you**

            "Ve…Vegeta…I…"  Bulma tried to speak as she was catching her breath and struggling to stand.  But she stood too fast, and the world began to spin.  She shut her eyes and could feel herself falling.  She prepared for a rough landing, but it never came.  When she opened her eyes, she found herself in Vegeta's arms.  He steadied her and gave her a questioning look, but did not let her go.

            "Woman, what is wrong with you?"

            It took Bulma a moment to recover from the shock of Vegeta's behavior.  She would have expected him to have let her fall to the ground and smirk.  "I need to talk to you."

            "I have no time for this nonsense.  I need to continue my training," he replied letting go of her much to her disappointment.  

            "Don't you ever think of anything else besides training and fighting?"

            "No.  There is nothing else.  And I will not stop to rest until I can defeat Kakarot and become a Super-Saiyan."  Vegeta folded his arms across his chest and turned to reenter the gravity room.  Bulma was not going to let him get away that easily, though.

**Still in love with all your sins**

**Wait and stop and I begin**

**And I'll – I'll be waiting**

            Bulma grabbed Vegeta's arm to try and stop him, but he shook her away violently.  His anger was rising rapidly, and she realized that, but she kept pushing anyway.

            "There is so much more to life and I know that you know it.  I saw it in your eyes, the desires in your heart!" she shouted.

            "You really are a stupid, pathetic fool!  Emotions have no place in the heart of a warrior!" he yelled back.  "Now get away from me, woman, before I decide you are more trouble than you are worth."

            His words stung, more than Bulma ever thought possible.  Tears were beginning to form, but there was no way she would let him see her cry.  Turning her back to him, she began to walk away.  Before she was out of earshot, she shouted back to him.

            "You're just afraid.  Afraid that you might actually care about someone, and for them to return the gesture!"

            "I fear nothing, woman!"

            "Keep telling yourself that!"

**Living like a house on fire**

**What you fear is your desire**

            Bulma broke into a sprint, needing to get as far way from the Prince as possible.  Tears streamed down her face as she entered the house and fled to the safety of her bedroom.  After slamming the door behind her, she flung herself unceremoniously onto her bed.  Burying her face in a pillow, Bulma let go of all restraint and sobbed uncontrollably.  She had let her guard down, and allowed herself to hope.  But Vegeta ripped her apart and left her broken.

            _You were wrong, Bulma.  It was all wishful thinking.  She chastised herself over and over again in her mind for allowing her emotions to cloud her judgment.  She pulled herself into a fetal position and shut her eyes, tears running freely._

**It's hard to deal**

**I still love the way you feel.**

            She tried to forget about it, concentrate on something, anything else, but to no avail.  The feel of his strong arms encircling her body, the way he ran out of the gravity room when he thought she was in danger; it was all so fresh in her mind.  Bulma sighed, wrapping her arms around herself, wishing she could feel it again.

            _I just don't understand.  I was so sure._

            She attempted to figure out what went wrong.  It was not as if he was completely awful to her all the time.  She thought back to when she had broken up with Yamcha for good.  Sobbing in the living room, she had felt so dejected.  Vegeta came into the room and she screamed at him to leave.  He did, but not before placing a carton of her favorite ice cream and a spoon on the coffee table in front of her.  It was a small gesture, but it was the closet thing to kindness he had ever shown anyone as far as she knew.  Of course the next day he shouted and ordered her around twice as much as usual.  When she asked him about the ice cream, he had gotten extremely defensive and told her that he brought it to her because he could not deal with her noise anymore and hoped it would shut her up.

            But maybe that was all it had been.  _But I could have sworn I saw his cheeks turning red before he looked away._

**Now this angry little girl**

**Drowning in this petty world**

**And I'm who you run to**

            "I can't take it anymore!" she shrieked, grabbing a pillow as she sat up.  The pain was replaced with anger as she whipped the pillow across the room, knocking over a vase of roses in the process.  But then a thought crossed her mind.

            _How can I face him?  I all but admitted that I had feelings for him.  _

            There was no avoiding Vegeta, though.  If he wanted something, he ordered her and only her to do it, and if she was not around he would seek her out.  How would he act around her now?

**Swallow all you bitter pills**

**That's what makes you beautiful**

            Bulma did not want him to change.  Against all logic she wanted him the way he was.  She was an extraordinary woman and needed an extraordinary man.  And Vegeta was nothing if not extraordinary.  But at the same time she longed to break through his tough defenses and expose the emotions he kept locked tightly away.  Despite everything that evening, she just could not give up the belief that Vegeta was not as cold as he seemed to be, even if he himself did not believe it.  It was there, in his eyes.

**You're all a lie**

**I don't need what you ain't got**

            It was getting pretty late, and with a yawn Bulma decided to go to sleep and escape reality for awhile.  Wrapping herself protectively in her covers, she shut her eyes, and shut out the world.  _Vegeta__, why can't you see that I want you, and only you, the way you are?_

**I'm torn in pieces**

**I'm lying here waiting for – **

**My heart is reeling**

**I'm blind and waiting for you**

            As she was falling asleep, Bulma heard a knock on her door.  _Shit!  I probably woke my mother up with all the noise I was making.  She was not in the mood to talk to anyone, though._

            "Go away!"

**I'm blind and waiting for you**

            The only response she received was more knocking.  Letting out a groan, she threw the bed covers back and got up.  She headed towards the door in the dark.

**I'm blind and waiting for you**

            Bulma flung open the door and froze.  There, silhouetted in the faint moonlight from her windows, stood the last person she would have expected to see.

            Vegeta.

**And I can't believe it's coming true**

            So many emotions invaded her heart in that instant: pain, anger, desire, joy, fear.  She could not move.  Instead she just stood there, staring, though she managed to get one word out.  "Vegeta?"

            A single finger gently touched her lips, imploring her silence.

**God it's good to be alive **

**And I'm still here and waiting for you**

            The finger was soon replaced by a pair of lips that kissed hers with a tenderness she had never known.  All reason drained away as Bulma kissed back, reveling in it.  She could feel Vegeta's arms snake around her and pull her closer to him, holding her body tightly against his.  And they began to kiss with increased fervor.

**And I can't believe it's coming true**

            Vegeta moved forward, guiding their entwined bodies into Bulma's room and kicked the door shut with his foot.  Nothing mattered at all except the two of them, together, in a moment of perfect passion.  Bulma was not sure of what the next day would hold, but right then, she did not care as she pulled him towards her bed with wild abandon.

**I'm blind and waiting for you**

A/N:  So?  Did ya like it?  I hope so.  Anyway, this is the first in a series of song fic's that will revolve around Bulma and Vegeta.  They will be posted kind of far apart because I am currently working on a Final Fantasy 7 fic right now, and I already had put another one on hiatus (as in to be continued in the future).  Well, R&R please!


	2. Walk Away

Disclaimer:  I do not own DBZ, I just checked it out of the library.  And I also do not own the song "Walk Away"

A/N:  Here is the second installment of my B/V song-fic series!  Yay for me!  This one is based off of the song "Walk Away" by Bree Sharp.  She's the chick that sings the "David Duchovny" stalker song.  Anyway, this is a pretty angsty/romantic piece, but there is a little light-hearted relief provided.  And there is no lemon, but some suggestive dialogue.  You have been forewarned, children! 

            It had been almost four months since Vegeta had left Capsule Corp., vowing never to return…two days short to be exact.

            Bulma sat out on her balcony, staring up into the indigo sky.  Each night since he took off in the gravity room for the second time it was the same.  She would sit outside, in silence, regret in her heart.  Sometimes she would hope beyond all hope that he would return to her, but knowing it was in vain.  She was living a pathetic existence, rarely leaving the house and only occasionally taking phone calls.  All she could do was think back to those few weeks of unbridled passion, and the night she threw it all away.

            That was the night Vegeta let her know all that mattered to him was his heritage and legacy, and she was of little consequence.  Yet, every night she sat, waiting.  Something inside of her refused to believe it and that he would leave her forever.  The feelings were there, she knew, he just had not been able to accept them.  Not just yet.

            "If only I had not pushed so hard…"  The whispered words fell from her lips and faded into the warm, late august breeze that played through her hair.  _Then maybe he would know that I carry a piece of his heritage right here.  A hand moved absent-mindedly to rest on her belly, which was beginning to swell with child._

_Flashback * * * * * *_

**Walk Away**

**The moon is pulling at me, the moon is pulling at you**

**You swear to me it's the sun (son), that's shining through**

            Bulma awoke sometime during the night, her mind and body still reeling from the earlier ecstasies experienced.  Vegeta had come to her bed again that night, as he had been every night over the last two and a half weeks since their first encounter.  Her eyes came to rest on his sleeping form which was entwined with her own.  He looked so serene, so unlike the tormented man he was when awake.  She hated to tear herself away.  But the night was calling out to her and she felt a strange need to oblige it.  Like the song of a siren, sweet and inviting.

            She carefully extricated herself from his embrace, not wanting to disturb his slumber.  Then, throwing on a silk robe, she made her way to the open balcony door and stepped outside.  Silver light radiated down from the full moon, engulfing her in its soft glow.  It oddly fulfilled a yearning somewhere deep inside.  Staring up at the moon's splendor, Bulma was reminded of something Vegeta had said to her the night before, when she had caught him out on the balcony doing the very same thing.

            _"All Saiyans are drawn to the moon.  They have an instinctual need for it.  Even now, without my tail, the dormant beast inside craves its light.  It…fills me."_

            Without looking away, Bulma wrapped her arms around her midsection, cradling her belly.  It made perfect sense, considering the circumstances she found herself in at the moment: she was over a week late.

            But how in Kami's name was she going to tell Vegeta?

**It's hard to push for the truth when lies are easy to find**

**I'm left with, I'm left with this trouble in mind**

            Bulma sank down to her knees at that prospect.  Vegeta treated her no differently during the day than he had before they started sleeping together.  But his actions each night, the burning passion in his eyes, had told her everything she needed to know.

            Only at that point there was a child, a new life growing within her womb to consider.  Vegeta was so unpredictable that Bulma had absolutely no idea how he would react to the news that he was going to be a father.  She knew she'd be strong enough to handle his rejection of her, but the rejection of their child was a thought she could not bear to dwell on.

            Grasping on to the balcony railing, Bulma pulled herself up.  She turned around to go back inside only to find Vegeta in the doorway, arms crossed over his bare chest.

            "What are you doing out here, woman?  Come back to bed with me," he said in a low purr.

            Bulma managed to flash him a warm smile, masking the apprehension she felt.  _Should I tell him now?  He does seem to be in a good mood…  She watched as Vegeta's eyes drank in every inch of her body.  __…A very good mood._

            She took a few steps forward, careful to keep her façade intact.  When she was within reach, Vegeta uncrossed his arms and pulled her to him, leading her inside.

            _Alright, here goes nothing.  "Vegeta, I…" but a pair of lips stopped her short.  __Oh Kami, I can't do this._

            Vegeta broke the kiss to place a lingering one on her forehead as his hands slid the robe off her shoulders.  It floated gently to the ground as he lifted her up and carried her over to the bed, where he proceeded to lay her down.

**I'm left to counting the days**

**While my life drifts away**

            Bulma woke up the next morning to an empty bed.  Not that he was ever there when she awoke.  A soft hum in the background told her that he was already in the gravity room, training.  She rolled over to bask in the sunshine pouring in from the windows, but there was a frown on her face.

            "All it took was a single kiss and all my resolve was gone.  When did I become such a pushover?"  With that disconcerting thought, she reluctantly got out of bed to face the day.

**Cause you come and go again like the tide**

**While on the shoreline I stand washed of my pride**

**And the truth I keep pushing aside**

**Is that it's time to walk away**

            Most of the morning Bulma kept to herself, sitting in the living room.  She stayed silent, but she was constantly berating herself in her mind for being so spineless.  That was what bothered her the most.

            _I have never in my life let any other man treat me as poorly as he does, not even Yamcha.  And I had been in love with him!  Bulma had contemplated more than once throughout that morning to end things with Vegeta and not tell him about their child.  But each time she thought she had made up her mind, she would think about how it felt to be with him, how simply his touch set her ablaze with passion and desire.  And each time her will crumbled._

            "Ack!  I'm so pathetic!"

            "I could have told you that."

            Spinning her head around towards the living room entrance, she saw Vegeta, wearing his signature training shorts and smirk.  She stood up and groaned.  "You're one to talk, bud."

            Vegeta was about to comment back when instead of seeing Bulma in front of him, he was face-to-face with Goku.  His smirk faded and was replaced with a look of annoyance that deepened when he saw that Chi-chi and Gohan accompanied him.

            "Kakarot!  What are you, the harpy, and the half-breed doing here?!"

            Goku grinned sheepishly and scratched his head.  "Well, we haven't seen you or Bulma in a while, so we decided to pop in, instant-transmission style!"

**Big guns are pointed at me, big guns are pointed at you**

**Everybody's waiting to see what we're gonna do**

            He then turned his attention to Bulma.  "So, how's it going?"

            "Oh, I'm alright.  I'd be much better though if a certain Saiyan Prince would quit insulting me."  Her eyes locked onto Vegeta, narrowing into slits.

            "Please, woman.  You said it, not me," he retorted.

            "I wasn't even talking to you, so why don't you just mind your own business!" she shouted back.  Not wanting to argue with Vegeta anymore, Bulma instead knelt down so she would be at Gohan's eye level.

            "And how are you, Gohan?"

            The little half-Saiyan smiled broadly, obviously quite excited.  "I'm great!  Mom let me spar with Mr. Piccolo this morning!"  It was then Bulma noticed a few bandages on his arms.  Before she could inquire about them though, Chi-chi's temper flared at the mentioning of Piccolo's name.

            "That horrid green monster beat up my poor little baby!  Every time Gohan trains with him, he comes home all battered.  And then he wonders why I'm so worried about him all of the time."  Bulma sat there quietly and let Chi-chi blow off steam.  She learned long ago to just let her rant all she wants when she was on a tirade about her son's well-being.

            Vegeta, on the other hand, would have none of it.

            "Kakarot!  Will you shut your damn harpy up?!  Her incessant shrieking is irritating me!"

            Goku winced as Chi-chi inevitably redirected her fury towards Vegeta.  "And you!  You insufferable, sorry excuse of a man!  I don't remember asking your opinion on the subject!  Honestly Bulma, I don't know how you can stand living with such an infuriating jerk!"

            "If Kakarot wasn't here, you'd be eating your words, harpy!" Vegeta replied, the smirk returning to his face.  He was clearly enjoying the verbal spat.

            With a nervous laugh, Goku attempted to diffuse the escalating situation.  "Now Chi-chi, try to calm down.  Everything is okay.  Besides, if you had seen Piccolo this morning after he trained with Gohan, I don't think you would worry so much."  He winked proudly at his son, whose face lit up from the fatherly praise.

            "What am I going to do with you two?" Chi-chi moaned in defeat.  She walked over to the couch and collapsed onto it, tears forming in her eyes.  Both Gohan and Goku exchanged glances, bit their lower lips in guilt, and went to her side.

            While father and son tended to the fretting Chi-chi, Bulma marched across the room up to Vegeta.  She was not happy to say the very least.  "Vegeta," she said through clenched teeth, "can I speak to you in the kitchen for a moment?"

            "Whatever for, woman?"  His voice was dripping with sarcasm.

            Attempting to restrain her anger, Bulma spoke in the calmest voice she could muster.  "Just get in there now!"

            "Hmph!" was all his reply consisted of as he presented her with his backside and strode towards the kitchen.

**You spin around and disappear under the floor where I stand**

**I'm left with, I'm left with a bag in my hand**

            Once they were both in the kitchen, the flood gates opened and Bulma's anger poured out.  "What do you think you are doing, mister?  Goku and his family are guests in _my house and all you have managed to do is insult them since they got here!  If you can't say something nice, keep your mouth SHUT!"_

            Vegeta regarded the fuming woman before him with arrogant contempt.  "I will do as I please, woman.  And that, as you say on this ridiculous planet, is that."

            "I don't think so, buster, not in my house.  After I took you in when you had no where else to go, one would think you'd be at least a tiny bit grateful!  And now I'm beginning to regret that momentary lapse in judgment."  Her face was now twisted with blind rage at Vegeta's lack of concern.  And his playful disregard had turned to cold indifference.

            "I'm beginning to regret my own lapse in judgment for accepting the offer of such an idiotic human."  His manner was nonchalant, but determined to have the last word, Vegeta flew out the open window above the sink and disappeared.

            With the object at which she was directing her rage gone, Bulma found release the best way she knew how: screaming at the top of her lungs.  This brought Goku rushing into the kitchen.

            "Are you okay, Bulma?" he asked, exacerbated.

            Taking in a deep breath, she took a moment to let her anger ebb a little before responding.  "Vegeta's throwing a tantrum again.  He flew out the window and I have no idea where that moron went!"

            Goku shut his eyes in concentration.  After a moment he swung around and opened them back up.  "I sense his ki really close by.  He's probably retreated to the gravity room."

            Listening carefully, Bulma could just barely make out the drone of the powered up machinery.  Though she was not going to admit it to Goku, she was secretly relieved.  The last thing she wanted was for Vegeta to leave.  He may upset her from time to time, _well, most of the time, she corrected, but she had to concede that she wanted him around.  She looked up at Goku only to be met with a puzzled look._

            "Um, Bulma, have you been working out?"

            "Huh?  No, I haven't.  Why do you ask?"  It was Bulma's turn to be confused.

            "It's just that while I was trying to sense Vegeta, I noticed a significant increase in your ki."

            _Oh crap!  I should have known!  The kid is part Saiyan, so why wouldn't he be able to sense it.  But why hasn't Vegeta been able to?  Then again, Goku didn't sense it until he was looking for ki.  The increase might still be small enough to not be readily detectable.  C'mon Bulma, think of something to tell him!_

            "Oh, you know, um, it's probably because I was so mad at Vegeta.  Yeah, that's it.  Nothing out of the ordinary," she blurted out nervously.  "Why don't you go have a seat in the living room and I'll make some sandwiches for lunch."

            As Bulma fidgeted and rambled on, Goku came to the realization that the stronger ki radiating from Bulma was not her own.  _I bet it's Trunks.  According to what he told me, he is supposed to be born about nine months from now.  Better not let her catch on.  From the way she's acting, I believe she thinks I suspect something.  Putting on a silly grin, he tried to put Bulma at ease.  But the words spilled forth in a rapid succession._

            "You're probably right.  Anyway, lunch sounds really good right now.  I'll send Chi-chi in to help you.  Hehe…bye!"  He then fled quickly from the room, leaving a relieved, yet extremely perplexed Bulma.

            "He's so weird sometimes."

**I'm left to counting the days**

**While my life drifts away**

            Evening was approaching when the Sons' left.  Bulma was sad to see them go, but Chi-chi was very insistent that Gohan needed to go home and study.  She was left all alone.  Her parents were off gallivanting in the tropics, having left the day before, and Vegeta had still not returned.  This seemed strange, especially since dinner time was soon and he had already skipped lunch.  She was starting to get worried, but after stressing over him all morning, she was at her wit's end.

            "Fine.  He can starve for all I care.  I'm going out!" Bulma announced to no one.  She bounded up to her room, threw on a flower print summer dress, and grabbed the capsule for her pink convertible air-car.  Being unusually warm for mid-spring, she did not bother to grab a sweater.

            "I think a nice trip to the beach is in order!" she said excitedly.  Jumping into her now un-capsulated air-car, she thought to herself with a mischievous grin.  _Now he can wonder where I am for a change when he's looking for his dinner.  But all the while she was unable to shake the hope in the back of her mind that she would run into him by some chance._

**Cause you come and go again like the tide**

**While on the shoreline I stand washed of my pride**

**And the truth I keep pushing aside**

**Is that it's time to walk away**

            Bulma parked on a secluded area of the beach.  It was surrounded by shear cliffs on three sides and was only readily accessible on foot or by regular car when the tide was at its lowest point.  She capsulated her air-car and climbed up onto a large, flat boulder.  Dangling her legs over the side, Bulma sat quietly and watched the endless waves roll their way onto the shore.  The ever-present rhythm of the sea calmed her nerves.

**Night closes in, but I hear the water rush in**

**To his song I'm a slave**

            It did not take long, however, before her thoughts were filled with Vegeta.  As the sky began to deepen with the approach of night, she imagined herself encircled in his arms, feeling his breath on her neck, the beating of his heart in sync with her own.  She chuckled softly at the irony of the situation.  The point of her trip to the beach was to get away from Vegeta for awhile, but there she was, wishing he was there with her.

            A breeze began to blow in from the ocean, adding a chill to the air.  Bulma could feel goose bumps forming on her arms as she realized it was a mistake to not have grabbed a sweater.  She began to shiver.

            Hopping down from the boulder, she went to un-capsulate her car.  But when she looked up to throw it, she froze mid-toss.  Leaning against the cliff wall was none other than Vegeta.  Her face brightened and the pace of her heart quickened as she lowered her arm back down to her side.

            "How long have you been there?" she asked.

            "Long enough, woman," he replied with a smirk.  "I'll never understand you humans.  You laugh at yourselves too much."  He started to walk slowly, but intently towards her.  

            Bulma's face flushed.  _Did he follow me here?  Not wanting to give into him too easily, her demeanor took on an icy quality.  "What do you want?  Have you come to apologize?"_

            He stopped mere inches from her, so close but not touching.  Raising one of his hands, he placed it gently on her cheek, stroking her soft skin with his thumb.  He knew how to break down her defenses.  "Hardly.  I saw you leave the house and I wanted to know where you were going."  His voice was husky and seductive.  "Among other things."

**I start to sink where I stand, I become part of the sand**

**He covers me like the sea, like a wave**

            Feeling her desire ignite, Bulma gave in to his advances.  Their lips met in a passionate kiss, arms wrapping around each other to make any space between them nonexistent.  Bulma shut her eyes, wanting only to experience him.  She allowed Vegeta to lower her down onto the sand.  They were both lost in the moment, caught up by its heat.  His hand deftly moved up the curves of her body and found the buttons on the front of her dress.  Skilled fingers began to undo them one by one.

            Then Bulma's eyes flung wide open.

**The road is turning for me, the road is turning for you**

**The light is red like a fire, but you drive on through**

            "Wait!" she cried out, eliciting a very confused look from Vegeta.

            "What's wrong?" he asked, removing himself from atop her.

            She sat up and began to re-button her dress.  "I need to know how you feel about me."

            Vegeta stood up in shock, backing away a few steps.  "What are you talking about?  Where is this coming from?"

            Noticing the change in him, Bulma knew that whatever his answer was, she would not like it.  But it did not matter.  She had to know; if not for her sake, at least for their child's.  

            "Do you feel anything for me, in your heart?" she clarified.

            "I told you before, woman.  I am a warrior, therefore I have no emotions.  They are a fault of the weak."  He crossed his arms, closing himself off further.  Each passing moment he grew colder and more distant.

            Bulma was beginning to feel sick with heartache.  But being the proud woman she was, her pain surfaced in the form of anger.  "I'm gonna let you in on a little secret.  On this planet, people's worth is not measured by how strong or powerful they are, but by how good their heart is.  And obviously you are seriously lacking in that department!"

            "You better watch what you say, or else…"

            "Or else what?!  You'll blast me into tiny pieces?  I've heard it all before.  I give myself to you every night and all I ever get in return is grief.  I can't go on like this!"

            "It's not like I have to beg."

            Even though she had promised herself that she would never let Vegeta see her cry, Bulma could not stop the tears that streamed down her cheeks.  They fueled her rage, and caused her to say something she regretted as soon as it was spoken.

            "You cold-blooded bastard!  I wish you were never brought back with the dragon balls!  We'd all be much better off without you!

            Vegeta's face twisted with hatred, but Bulma saw the pain reflected in his eyes.  Her words truly stung him.

**I stay behind and hear you call**

            Vegeta rose up into the air to leave, but before he did, he turned back to Bulma.  "Woman, all I care about is fulfilling my destiny.  You are nothing to me-

**"You should have know this from the start"**

            And then he was gone, leaving her alone on the sand.

**I'm left with, I'm left with a piece of my heart**

            Bulma buried her face in her trembling hands.  Her body convulsed with each violent sob, making it hard to breathe.  It took a good while for her to get herself under control enough to stand.  Taking in a few deep breaths and steadying herself, she un-capsulated her air-car and took off for home.

            The entire drive back was made in silence.  She did not even turn on the radio.  I was hard for her to even think straight.  When she thought that her heart could not sink any lower, she reached Capsule Corp.

            The gravity room was gone.  And this time, after the events that had just transpired, she was sure he would never come back.

**Cause you come and go again like the tide**

**While on the shoreline I stand washed of my pride**

**And the truth I keep pushing aside**

**Is that it's time to walk away**

**It's time to walk away**

End Flashback * * * * * *

            Bulma blinked away the few tears brought on by the memory.  Pushing herself up from the chair she had been sitting in, she took one last look up at the stars.  Then she turned away and walked inside, defeated.

**I'm walking away**

A/N:  I know, the ending is sad, but the next one will have a happier ending.  And since these first two have been from Bulma's perspective, the next will be from Vegeta's.  Oh, and I realized the other day that my timeline is a bit off, but it doesn't really matter.  Well R&R, and I hope you enjoyed it!


	3. Fuel

Disclaimer:  As previously stated, I do not own DBZ.  I would if I could, but I can't, so I don't.  I also do not own the songs used within.

A/N:  Okay, I wrote this from Vegeta's POV, which was very difficult.  Metallica's "Fuel" is the main song, but with excerpts from Billy Joel's "She's got a Way".  Yes, I know, strange combo, but I think I made it work.  Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

**Fuel**

**Gimme fuel,**

**Gimme fire,**

**Gimme that which I desire,**

**Ooh!**

            Two rock-hard fists pumped back and forth with mechanical precision, pummeling into an unseen enemy.  Each movement of his body was like that of a well-oiled machine: utter perfection.  Ever since he left Earth all those months ago, he had been training nonstop.  The only interruptions allowed were for eating, sleeping, or the occasional stop on a planet to hunt for more food.  Vegeta felt he was close to achieving his birthright, to becoming a Super Saiyan.  It was so close he could taste it.  He licked his lips with satisfaction.

            His eyes were full of fire, trained on the image at which he was directing his barrage of attacks.  He only ever saw one face staring back, mocking him.  It was the face of that third class piece of trash.  The man who usurped him from his place, stole HIS destiny, and severely wounded his pride.

            "It was supposed to be me!  ME!  Not that stupid, pathetic excuse for a Saiyan.  I am the prince, NOT Kakarot!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.  Vegeta's anger and rage encompassed every fiber of his being, and threatened to consume him.

**Turn on…I see red**

**Adrenaline crash and crash my head**

**Nitro junkie, paint me dead**

**And I see red**

            Vegeta was beginning to feel the strain of his constant training, having turned the gravity generator up to five hundred times normal.  His entire body was slick with sweat from the exertion.  But he continued on, pushing himself harder and harder, feeding off the exquisite pain.

            He shot a series of ki blasts out at the training androids, all of which volleyed the shots back at him.  Vegeta deftly avoided each blast.  A smirk graced his face.

            _I will defeat Kakarot yet!_

            A familiar feeling was forming in his stomach that told him it was time to eat.  As he walked towards the gravity machine to shut it off, he heard a loud crashing sound and the entire capsule ship shook violently.  The fact that the gravity was so intense, or that he had let his guard down a little, or maybe even both, caused Vegeta to stumble.  He frowned deeply as he regained his balance.  _What the…_

            Three more crashes came, one right after the other.  The impacts had such force that the ship was knocked sideways.  It was so sudden, and Vegeta felt the floor below him left away.  He was flung back into the wall, which rose up to meet him as the ship righted itself.  His head collided with the metal hull hard.  Stunned, Vegeta got to his feet.  He placed his right hand on the back of his head, where his fingers felt a warm wetness.  Retracting his hand, he stared down at the red liquid dripping from his fingertips.  He brought them up to his mouth and flicked out his tongue.  The sweet taste of fresh blood.

**One hundred plus through black and white**

**Warhorse, Warhead**

**Fuck 'em man, white knuckles tight**

**Through black and white**

After turning off the gravity generator, Vegeta walked up to one of the many windows of the ship and peered out.  What he saw made him almost grin.  Giant asteroids whizzed past his field of vision.  Looking out farther into space, he saw them everywhere.  An idea crossed his mind.

            "Why bother with these awful machines when I can test my strength against the fury of the universe!"

            He slowed the capsule ship some and scanned around for a nearby planet in the path of the asteroids.  It did not take long for him to locate a suitable one.  The planet was a rocky, terrestrial one, and from the looks of it, it was a dead planet that lost all forms of life long ago.  _This will do, he thought, clenching his fists tight with anticipation._

**Ooh, On I burn**

**Fuel is pumping engines**

**Burning hard, loose, and clean**

As he guided the ship towards his intended destination, it continued to be bombarded by asteroids.  But now Vegeta was ready for them, his Saiyan strength and speed shifting his body around to compensate.

            The ship plunged roughly to the ground.  Vegeta immediately opened the door and stepped out onto the rocky surface.  He took a moment to assess the damage inflicted to the vessel and cringed.  It would still fly, of that he was certain, but the hull was severe battered.

            "If the woman saw this I would never hear the end of it."  The words were spoken without thought.

            **_She's got a way…_**

            As soon as the words he uttered so carelessly registered in his mind, he froze.

            **_I don't know what…_**

            His face twisted with anger.  "Why the fuck should I care what that idiot woman thinks!"  Vegeta dismissed all thoughts of the woman from his consciousness, but in the back of his mind, just under the surface, his subconscious knew he did care.

            **_But I know…_**

**And I burn**

**Churning my direction**

**Quench my thirst with gasoline**

**So gimme fuel,**

**Gimme fire,**

**Gimme that which I desire**

            Vegeta turned his attention back to his surroundings.  The sky was filled with brilliant streaks of light as the asteroids entered the planet's atmosphere and began to burn up.  Moving away from the ship, he powered up and took to the air.  He placed himself in the path of the largest object hurling down from space.  As the huge rock burned its way towards him, Vegeta drew back his fist like a gun cocked and ready to fire.  Just before it could hit him, his fist snapped, flying forward in a blur of motion.  The asteroid exploded on impact, and chunks of rubble rained down onto the surface below.

            The rush was exhilarating, adrenaline pumping through his veins.  He moved with intense speed, racing about and destroying everything in sight.  Each successive explosion served to fuel the raging fire that burned within him.  He could feel his power level ascend to new heights.

            Vegeta grabbed a passing asteroid, the hot surface of the rock searing his palms.  He raised it high over his head and flung it downward towards a large mountain.  When it crashed, the asteroid completely obliterated it, leaving nothing behind but a crater to mark the already heavily scarred planet.  

            Throwing his head back and raising his arms to the heavens, Vegeta laughed.  It was a very evil sound, echoing off the rocks below.  "I have never felt such power!  I am about to become the most powerful being in the universe.  Nothing will be able to stop me, not even Kakarot!"

**Turn on beyond the bone**

**Swallow future, spit out home**

**Burn your face upon the chrome**

**Yeah!**

The time had finally arrived.  Everything promised to him by his father all those years ago was about to be realized.  But with triumph came the bitter truth.  His father would never see him fulfill his destiny, nor would his people.  They were long gone.  Frieza had taken that from him.

            Vegeta stopped and floated in mid-air.  That freak lizard had robbed him of everything he was, and all that he ever possessed.  He was a prince with no people.  But what really made his blood boil was that some god somewhere felt that he had not been tortured enough.  After Frieza took his life, at least he had been put out of his misery.  Then fate intervened and he found himself alive due to an ill-spoken wish, only to discover that his chance for revenge had been stolen by Kakarot.  He wished he had stayed dead.  Eternity in hell would have been a cake walk compared to his worthless existence. 

            His body tensed up, the rage inside boiling over.  _I will become a Super-Saiyan, or I will die trying._  He squared his body in front of an asteroid that ripped towards him.  With a flare of his ki, Vegeta let it crash into him.

            Big mistake.

            While the hunk of rock was destroyed on impact, Vegeta had not fared all that well either.  He had seriously overestimated his strength.  The force of the blow had thrown him to the ground.  He lay sprawled out in the crater created by his body, like a rag doll tossed aside by a bored child.

**Take the corner, join the crash**

**Headlights, Headlines**

**Another junkie lives too fast**

**Yeah lives way too fast, fast, fast, ooh-oh!**

Ignoring the terrible pain racking his body, Vegeta struggled to his feet.  He was a bit taken aback by being floored so easily.  Clenching his fists tightly, he closed his eyes and began to concentrate.  The time had come- he would now transform.

            A blue aura surrounded him as he powered up.  His voice, which started off as a low growl, increased in volume and pitch until it became an animalistic scream.  It shook the very planet to the core.  The surface began to crack and rift.  His power soared higher and higher as he felt untapped regions of himself begin to awaken…

            And then it stopped.

            The look on Vegeta's face could only be described as horrified.  He sunk back down to his knees in shock.  "This…this cannot be!  This cannot be the limit of my strength!  I was on the verge of transformation!"

            Vegeta stared down at his palms, which were bleeding freely from where his nails had broken the skin during his effort.  He could not achieve the status of Super-Saiyan.  It had been the one thing that kept him going, the only thing he had left, and it had been denied to him; his final failure.  He officially had nothing left to live for.

            In his mental reflection, Vegeta had failed to notice the boulder-sized asteroid heading straight for him.  It flew in from behind him, striking the back of his head.  There was only a fleeting instant of pain before unconsciousness claimed him.

* * * * * *

**_She's got a way…_**

**_            I don't know what…_**

**_            But I know…_**

****

So many images flooded Vegeta's mind; images of the failures and disappointments that plagued his existence.  His father betrayed him.  Frieza had broken him.  Kakarot shamed him.  And the woman…she hurt him.  

            His attention focused on that last thought.  It was true that she was the only one he had grown to tolerate on that awful planet, but that was because she catered to his every need.  How had her mere words caused him pain?

            **_She's got a way about her_**

**_            I don't know what it is_**

**_            But I know that I can't live without her_**

            And then his mind moved on to those few weeks he had mated with her.  The way her body melded with his when they were in the throes of passion, the deep desires stirred up within him every time he gazed on her perfect form.  

            **_She's got a way of pleasin'_**

**_            I don't know what it is_**

**_            But there doesn't have to be a reason anyway_**

            He never gave her any reason to think that she meant any more to him than a means of physical gratification during that time, and she never gave any indication that she expected anything else.  But it all changed that one night.  Suddenly she expected him to have feelings for her.  That would never happen…

            **_She comes to me when I'm feelin' down_**

**_            Inspires me without a sound_**

**_            She touches me and I get turned around_**

            So why did the fact that he would never see her again bother him so much?  He'd never again see her gorgeous face, or feel her soft skin against his, or hear her scream out his name as she reached the heights of ecstasy…it slowly began to dawn on him.

            **_She's got a way of showin'_**

**_            How I make her feel_**

**_            And I find the strength to keep on goin'_**

            He was not sure what it meant, if it meant anything at all, but he knew.  He knew why it hurt when she wished she had never met him, and why he dreaded the thought of never seeing her again: he needed her.

            It's not that he had feelings for her.  He did not have the capacity for such emotions.  It was much more basic than that.  She gave him food and shelter, accommodating him every step of the way even though he showed her no gratitude.  She gave him all that she could, all that she was.  Vegeta did not understand it.  The entire concept went against the very nature of his being.  But as he lay on the verge of death, visions of her flashed through his mind and he found his reason to keep going.  He had to live for her – to see her again.

* * * * * *

**Ooh, on I burn**

**Fuel is pumping engines**

**Burning hard, loose and clean**

            Reality began to return to Vegeta.  He opened his eyes to find himself staring sideways at the horizon.  "I'm alive?" he murmured weakly.  After letting that thought sink in for a moment, he turned his attention fully to his surroundings.  He was not quite sure how long he had been unconscious, but he could feel the pounding vibrations in the ground that told him the asteroid storm continued to bombard the barren planet.  Recognizing the dire situation in which he found himself, Vegeta forced his broken body up from the ground.

            _If I don't make it to the ship soon there won't be a ship to go back to.  He moved forward with shaky steps, praying to whoever would listen to keep him safe.  At least until he could return to Earth._

            Chaos raged all around him.  He had to dodge and jump out of the paths of a myriad of asteroids that seemed hell-bent on his destruction.  He could feel his chances of survival waning with each near miss.  Time was running out.

**And on I burn**

**Churning my direction**

**Quench my thirst with gasoline**

**So gimme fuel**

**Gimme fire**

**Gimme that which I desire**

            Vegeta did not see it coming.  It was more like a little voice whispering in warning at the last second.  He sidestepped quickly, narrowly avoid the burning rock that smashed into the very spot upon which he had just been standing.  The tremendous energy of the impact was too much for him in his weakened state though, and it sent him stumbling to the ground once more.  The Prince had to struggle to his feet for a third time.

            He could feel his blood flowing out of him from multiple wounds.  The loss of his life-fluid made him increasingly dizzy and disoriented.  It was getting harder to focus as his vision began to blur.  But he continued on, limping along and trying his best to avoid being crushed.

            His hopes rose as he closed in on the capsule ship, within five hundred yards.  By some miracle it was still in one piece.  He started to move faster, ignoring all else but his all-consuming need to make it inside the ship.  It was then he was struck yet again.

            While managing to dive to the side so as not to receive the full force of the blow, Vegeta did not come away unscathed.  There was no time to prepare his body as the asteroid struck his right arm.  Searing hot pain shot up though his arm and into his chest.  Even though it was covered in blood, he could tell that he was badly burnt.  There is no mistaking the stench of burnt flesh.  The bones in his arm were completely shattered, and he was willing to bet anything that his collar bone had been snapped in half.

            For what he was sure was the last time, Vegeta was down on his knees.  He could feel unconsciousness creeping up on him again.  As everything around him began to fade towards black, he admitted something to himself he never had before.  It was all his fault.

            He had found an excuse to place the blame on others for all his other failures.  But this time, he was alone.  There was no one else there to blame.  He would never become a Super Saiyan, or see the woman again.  And it was no one's doing but his own.

            Rage built up once again, but this time the anger was directed at himself.  In his eyes he deserved death.  Not because his life was meaningless, but because he failed at life.  HE failed.

            As Vegeta hung his head and waited for what he thought was his inevitable death, something within him began to stir.  Whatever it was, it was not physical, but almost as if it came from his soul.  A bright golden light surrounded him.  It was so warm, like being enveloped in an embrace.  He found the strength to stand as his body and soul filled to the brim with unbridled power, and spilled over.  It was then he knew:

            The Super Saiyan had awakened.

**White knuckle tight!**

            "So this is what it means to be a Super Saiyan!" Vegeta admonished.

            His appearance was akin to that of a god.  Bright blonde hair rose from his regal head like rays from the sun, brilliant green eyes twinkling, engulfed in a golden aura.  And despite his severe injuries he felt that he could take on the world.  All it had required of him was to realize his own shortcomings.

**Gimme Fuel…On I burn, on and on**

            With renewed determination, Vegeta once again headed towards his desired destination.  He walked at a slow but deliberate pace, reveling in his newly awakened powers.  Any asteroid that came within his reach was swatted away as if it were no more than an insignificant insect.

**Gimme Fire…On I burn, on and on**

            And then he stood before the door of his vessel.  He boarded the ship and sighed in satisfaction.  He was a Super Saiyan.  _Won't the woman be surprised!  Now that one goal had been achieved, he was ready to conquer the next: returning to Earth, to her._

**My desire…**

            Vegeta moved swiftly to the controls.  His fingers moved with fervor as he set the proper coordinates.  As the ship blasted off, he reflected on the events that had transpired.

            It had been a day that he would never forget.  His life-long dream had been fulfilled.  And even more than that, he found a reason to live.  Not even the best of his father's servants on Vegeta-sei had ever provided for him so well as the woman back on Earth did.  And if he had not become a Super Saiyan, she would have taken care of him anyway.  He did not understand the strange feeling he had whenever he thought of her, but his pride did not let him delve into its depths to discover its meaning.

**Ooh, on I burn**

**Fuel is pumping engines**

**Burning hard, loose and clean**

            He made his way to the sleeping quarters after checking over the coordinates one last time, just to be sure.  Powering down, Vegeta climbed into bed to get some much needed rest so he could recover form his extensive injuries.  But no matter what he did, sleep eluded him.  His mind was racing with so many thoughts.

            For the first time since he left Earth, he absentmindedly reached his arm over, searching for something.  It was as if he had expected to find the sleeping form of the woman beside him.  He retracted his arm, wrapping it around himself instead.

**And I burn**

**Churning my direction**

**Quench my thirst with gasoline**

            He was not sure if his return would be as welcome as his last had been.  Would she welcome him back with open arms and give of herself freely?  He did not think so.  The pain he had caused he ran at least as deep as that which she had inflicted in him.  But she needed him too.  How he knew, he was not certain, but he could feel it even across the vast expanse of space.  Surely she would not forsake him completely if it would cost her as much as it would cost him.

**Gimme Fuel**

**Gimme Fire**

**Gimme that which I desire**

            "I am returning.  I can never give you what you want, for I am not capable.  But this much I know is true:  I am coming back for you, Bulma."

**On I burn**

A/N:  I hope you all liked this.  Perhaps Veggie is a bit OOC?  I don't think so, but I may not be looking at things in the same light as the general masses.  Well, please review, it really makes my day!


End file.
